


ALTERNATE UNIVERSITY

by ElegantButler



Category: Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency - Fandom, Fifth Element (1997), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler, Max Headroom - Fandom, PuppetMaster IV, Saint Beast, The Runestone
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Crossover, Explicit Language, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-03
Updated: 2017-02-01
Packaged: 2018-09-14 13:07:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 8,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9183061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElegantButler/pseuds/ElegantButler
Summary: A temporal storm has brought many people together from different universes into a simple world. But living in a world that's not your own, is never truly easy, no matter how simple it may seem to the locals.





	1. Chapter One (until I can think of a better name for it)

ALTERNATE UNIVERSITY

 

CAST OF KNOWN CHARACTERS:  
ADULTS:  
Severus Snape (Harry Potter)  
Edison Carter (Max Headroom)  
Corbin Dallas (The Fifth Element)  
Dirk Gently (Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency)  
Gregory Fanducci (Runestone)

TEENS:  
Bryce Lynch (Max Headroom)  
Harry Potter (Harry Potter)  
Ciel Phantomhive (Black Butler)  
Kenny Travis (Warlock: The Armageddon)  
Jacob Frannag (Runestone)  
Rick Myers (PuppetMaster IV)

IMMORTALS:  
Sebastian Michaelis (Black Butler)  
Seiryuu (Saint Beast)  
Grell Sutcliff (referred to in the feminine since it’s her wish) (Black Butler)  
William T Spears (Black Butler)

 

CHAPTER ONE:

The school stood on a small rise above the city. Its greyish white bricks caught the rays of the sunlight while that same light reflected off its beveled windows. 

In a classroom whose door proclaimed its area of study to be Potions and Chemistry, Severus Snape leaned over a simmering cauldron and carefully added a well-crushed beetle carapace to the potion within. 

There was a knock on the door. With a resigned expression, Snape placed a stasis charm on the potion to keep it from spoiling. Then he went to the door.

“You again?” he asked, seeing the redhead standing at the door. “Professor Sutcliffe. Don’t you think you should be working on this year’s lesson plan? Thanatology? That was your topic for your psychology course this year. Correct?”

“Yes,” Grell rhapsodized. “The study of the intricacies of Death. It’s a much misunderstood topic, you know. Oh there is so much…”

“Yes, I’m sure there is,” Snape told him. “However, there is a great deal I must do in preparation for classes. So I really don’t have time for pleasantries.”

“Then let me get right to the point,” Grell said. “I need a…”

“Love potion,” Snape cut the Reaper off. “Yes. You’ve been asking for one ever since I made the mistake of letting it slip that I am a potions master. I am not inclined to do so. And even if I were, I doubt it would work on the object of your desire, seeing that he is a demon and all.”

“All professors,” a voice said over the school’s intercom system. “Attention all professors. Your presence is required in the main office in ten minutes for noon meeting. Please note attendance is mandatory as is presentable attire. I mean you, Sutcliffe.”

Grell looked down at the two piece suit she was wearing. “There is nothing wrong with this skirt.” she stated. “It covers both knees and it’s a simple a-line design. I don’t know why he picks on me.”

She turned and walked off, heading for the office. Will was going to regret singling her out. As she reached the steps, she was met by another colleague, Dirk Gently, who was the school’s professor of philosophy. Rumor had it that Mr. Gently was once a detective. Though no police department acknowledged any connection to him. 

“Mr. Sutcliffe,” Dirk said in an excited voice. “I really must speak to you at length at some point.”

“That’s Miss Sutcliffe,” Grell said, in a put off tone. “And I’m really busy now. Or didn’t you hear the call for meeting.”

“Miss Sutcliffe, then,” Dirk corrected himself. “But as a student in the field of death, you must certainly have an appreciation of the interconnectedness of all things.”

“Death does indeed connect everything,” Grell agreed. “But I really don’t have time to chat about that right now. Gotta run. More’s the pity!”

“Have you ever given thought as to what happens to us beyond death? Whether the interconnectedness continues beyond the grave?” Dirk asked as he followed Grell to the main office.

“Of course I have,” Grell said, pointedly. “I get overtime and a ton of paperwork.” 

She opened the office door and stepped inside as she spoke this last remark.

“And you’ll get a lot more if you don’t show a little respect,” said Headmaster Spears as he adjusted his glasses.

“You really need to get those refit, darling,” Grell told him.

“Sutcliffe!” Will exclaimed as Snape walked in followed by two other teachers, Edison Carter and Gregory Fanducci, and the one of the bus drivers, Korben Dallas.

It was not unusual to see Dallas at these meetings. As the bus driver who arranged travel for field trips, he made it a point to discuss the financial aspects of the trips, making sure there was money for fuel and other trip-related necessities.

As the school was in a world where many students, and professors for that matter, were not actually from, there was often trouble with money. Some of the students had taken to working odd jobs to gain some of the local currency. But not all of them had the right skills to work in the world they now found themselves in.

Kenny Travis, Bryce Lynch, and Jacob Frannag, who were erroneously referred to as the triplets, because of their uncanny similarities in appearance, each found a niche they liked in the world.

Kenny, who had lived in a small town where he had once encountered a dangerous warlock, found himself a job as a warehouse security guard. After all, with his powers, and considering he had bested Satan’s own servant, he figured it would be an easy enough job. 

Jacob, who had killed one of the beast-god Fenrir’s incarnations during a fight in which he had been helping the god Tyr along with Police Detective Gregory Fanducci, who had followed him into this world, decided he’d had enough violence in his life for a while and had taken a part time job in the gift shop of a local museum.

Bryce found a job with the local police department as an advisor in matters concerning computer hackers and cyberterrorists. It wasn’t Network 23, but the job was similar and the familiarity of it made him feel right at home. And at least Edison Carter had come through the time storm with him.


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bryce talks with Jacob at the Museum of Celestial Wonders where Sebastian Michaelis is working as a tour guide and Jacob works as a gift shop cashier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is just a short filler chapter. And Fanducci swears a lot.

CHAPTER TWO:

“A wonderful replica of the Selene Tower,” Jacob told the middle-aged woman as he bagged her purchase. “I have one at home myself. Have a nice day.”

He looked to the next customer and saw it was his doppleganger, or at least one of them as he seemed to have two.

“Bryce?” he guessed. 

“Yes,” Bryce confirmed. He had met both Jacob and Kenny when the time storm had brought them all to whatever world this was. “I’m just here to see Mr. Stephens about some concerns he has over the museum’s computer security program.”  
“He’s in his office,” Jacob told him. “School starts tomorrow.”

“I know,” Bryce sighed. “I can’t believe Edison’s making me go. I already graduated college where I came from.”

“And I was the slayer of the beast-god Fenrir,” Jacob pointed out. “And I still have to go, too.”

“Welcome to the Museum of Celestial Wonders.”

Bryce and Jacob listened to the warm tones of the voice of Mr. Michaelis, the museum’s tour guide, who for some reason they could not fathom was dressed in the style of Victorian butler.

“Doesn’t he even know what century this is?” Bryce asked.

“He probably just doesn’t care,” Jacob said. “Besides, people seem to like it. Mr. Stephens lets him since he says it’s good for business.”

A man in his early forties stepped into the main hall.

“Ah, Mr. Michaelis. Another tour I see. Excellent. Keep up the good work.”

With an elegant bow, Sebastian replied, “Yes, Mr.Stephens.” then turned to the crowd he was attending to. “If you’ll follow me, our first stop is the Donna Room. As you know, Donna was considered by the Ancient Cenibrians to be the goddess of our moon…”

Mr. Stephens listened as his best employee’s voice trailed off. Then turned to face Jacob and Bryce.

“I will never get over how alike you both look,” he told the two teens. “Lynch, I want to go over the Silver Sphere program with you. I need you to explain it to me more clearly because there are some aspects to it I can’t quite grasp.”

“Of course, Mr. Stephens,” Bryce said, in a cheerful but resigned tone.

Bryce followed Mr. Stephens into the museum’s security room. 

“This is detective Greg Fanducci,” he said.

“We’ve already fucking met,” Fanducci said. “We arrived in this fucking city at the same time on the same conveyance. I noticed him because he almost matches the description of the kid I fucking arrived with.”

Bryce blushed at the profanity, but only for a moment. “Mr. Fanducci. It’s good to see you again. I assume you also want to learn about the museum’s security.”

 

“I want to know if it can be hacked,” Fanducci said.

“Of course it can,” Bryce told him. “Everything can be hacked. It’s a question of how the system in question responds to the hacking. For example, I’ve set up this museum’s computer system so any attacks are shunted over to a virtual machine. If he or she stays on too long, the machine is set to track down his or her computer and shut it down. It then logs the computer’s address and blacklists it from reconnecting.”

“That’s pretty fucking good,” Fanducci said, impressed. “Not as impressive as killing fucking Fenrir, but…” he shrugged and popped a PEZ into his mouth.


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bus stop chat

CHAPTER THREE:

Monday morning saw Bryce and Kenny waiting at the rainy bus stop along with Jacob Frannag and a younger boy named Ciel Phantomhive who was standing under an umbrella held aloft by Sebastian Michaelis.

“Is Sebastian your father?” Jacob asked.

“He’s my butler,” Ciel replied. “My parents are dead.”

“So are mine,” Harry told him. “I was a baby when they were killed. My aunt raised me.” Bitterly he added. “If you can call making me sleep in a cupboard and depriving me of friends raising me.”

“They sound pretty nasty,” Ciel agreed.

“How did your parents die?” Sebastian asked.

“They were murdered,” Harry told them. “The killer came after me, too. But his attack backfired and he was unable to complete the attempt.”

Harry shuddered as Sebastian seemed to see into his very soul. It wasn’t like when Snape had penetrated his mind during Occlumency lessons. This was deeper. More personal.

“I understand how you feel,” Sebastian said, finally. “But how safe would you have been if there was a used bedroom to prove you lived there? And what if you had a ton of friends who could be tortured into revealing your whereabouts?”

“I never thought of it that way,” Harry admitted. He realized then that while the Dursleys’ behavior towards him had seemed cruel, it had in fact protected him in the long run.

The rain stopped and the wind died down.

A small pile of leaves, however, was spinning in a miniature tornado.  
“Potter!” a voice called out from nearby, in a miffed tone.

“It’s not me!” Harry told Snape who had been driving by.

Snape looked at the small crowd he would have to perform a memory modification on later.

“I’m afraid that was me,” Kenny admitted. “It’s a bad habit I have when I get bored. The people where I live are quite used to it. Some of them even pay me to use my ability to clear the leaves off their lawn.”

“What about the Statute of Secrecy?” Snape asked. “You can’t just announce to every Muggle in the world that you’re a wizard.”

“I never heard of muggles,” Kenny told him. “And I’m not a wizard. I’m a Druid Warrior.”

“My apologies,” Snape said, earning a raised eyebrow from Harry. “Where Harry and I come from magic is kept secret from the non-magical world as much as possible. Mostly for our safety, but also for theirs. That’s why none of this conversation can go beyond this bus stop.”

“Your secret is safe with us,” Kenny promised.

“Definitely,” Jacob agreed.

Bryce turned to Jacob. “If this guy didn’t look like he has no sense of humor, I would bet this whole thing was some kind of wind up.” he said, pointedly. “But yeah, I won’t tell anyone. I doubt they’d believe anyone who did tell.”

The bus stopped and let them on. The driver looked like he belonged in the cockpit of a fighter jet, rather than the driver’s seat of a school bus.

Bryce sat next to Jacob while Harry took a seat beside Kenny.

“What’s the most interesting thing you ever did?” Kenny asked.

“That’s bus stop talk,” Harry told him.

Kenny nodded. “Me, too.”

Harry raised an eyebrow, wondering what Kenny could’ve done that he couldn’t freely talk about and whether it was anything like taking on and defeating the most powerful dark wizard of all time.

Given the grim look on Kenny’s face as he was apparently thinking of whatever it was, Harry decided it just might be possible.

The bus pulled over to let a few more kids on, and then continued, until it arrived at the school.

“Welcome,” Corbin told the students. “To Lost Cristobel High. Dumb name for a school if you ask me.” he added in a muttered wave of sarcasm that washed over them and made them smirk.


	4. Chapter Four

CHAPTER FOUR: 

 

The students walked into the school and into their classrooms. With the exception of Ciel Phantomhive, who was in a different year, and Bryce Lynch, who was in advanced classes, Headmaster Spears had assigned most of the new arrivals to a tutor group run by Grell who was also assigned to take registration.

“Good morning, students,” she said. “I am Miss Sutcliffe.”

“Miss?” Kenny whispered in confusion to Jacob.

“Yes,” Grell said, giving a toothy grin.

“I don’t think we should argue with her,” Jacob said, wisely.

“Now,” Grell continued, “Let us start with our morning registration. I will call your name and when I do you will answer with “Here” or “Present”. So… Jayne Ashcroft”

A girl with orange pigtails raised her hand. “Present.”

“Jacob Frannag,”

“Here,” Jacob said with his hand raised.

Grell nodded. “Tom Howard,”

“Here,” said an olive-skinned boy with shoulder length hair who smiled at Jayne. Jayne smiled back. It was clear the two had been good friends for a long time.

“Harry Potter,” Grell continued.

“Here,” Harry said, raising his head. He wondered if this was how his day would have gone if he’d attended Stonewall High instead of Hogwarts.

“Lisa Silvers,” Grell asked.

Lisa raised her hand. She was a little chubby and had blond hair in a short ponytail.

“And finally, Kenny Travis,” Grell finished.

Kenny raised a hand and levitated a pencil just for practice. “Here.”

Grell quickly went over to his desk and grabbed the pencil. “It is not a good idea to show off before you know the local attitudes about such things.” she warned, handing it back to him.

“Now as many of us are new to this town,” Grell said, “I would like to ask each of the local students to share something they like about it.”

Lisa raised her hand.

“Yes, Miss Silvers,” Grell asked.

“My favorite place to go is the Museum of Celestial Wonders,” she told her.

Jayne and Tom both nodded enthusiastically. 

“They’re doing an exhibit on the Eight Spheres of Donna next Tuesday.”

“I would love to see that,” Harry said.

“So would I,” Kenny agreed.

Jacob turned to Lisa. “Does that involve an eclipse?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” she admitted.

“I will ask Headmaster Spears about arranging a field trip to the museum on Tuesday.” Grell announced. “Now, anything else?”

“The mall is a pretty nice place,” Jayne told them. 

“That’s good to know,” Grell said, “however next time raise your hand.”

 

“Yes, Miss Sutcliffe,” Jayne apologized.

“Now I will see you back here for English at quarter past ten,” Grell told them as she noted the time on the clock. “Don’t forget your book bags.”

Kenny, Harry, Jake and Bryce had one class in common and that was Snape’s.

As they met in the corridor, Kenny huddled with Jake and Bryce. Their similarities had made them fast friends.

“What do you think old Snape will favor? Chemistry or potions?” Jake asked.

“Is there a real difference?” Bryce asked. “It’s all a matter of chemical makeup. Even potions ingredients interact based on their chemical makeup.”

“That’s not quite true,” Harry said from nearby. “My best friend Hermione once told me that some potions ingredients like to stay true to class, so they won’t work well with ingredients that don’t have similar properties.”

“Do you plan on holding class in the corridor by yourselves or would you like to come into the classroom and have me teach it?” Snape asked them.

Harry entered the classroom with the others following.

Once the students had taken their seats, Snape turned to face them.

“Now that you’re all paying attention,” he said “Can any of you tell me the similarities between potions and chemistry?”

Kenny raised his hand.

“None of you?” Snape drawled. “What a pity.”

“Excuse me sir,” Kenny said, apologetically, “But I believe that the similarities lie in the properties of the ingredients used and the way they interact with other ingredients.”

“Ten points from Gryffindor,” Snape said, automatically.

“Sir!” Harry exclaimed. “We are not at Hogwarts and Kenny isn’t a Gryffindor.”

Slightly embarrassed and not at all happy about it, Snape turned to him. “You, however, are a Gryffindor so that’s thirty points from Gryffindor for speaking out of turn, Mr. Potter. As for you, Mr. Travis…”

“I apologize for speaking out of turn, sir,” Kenny said.

Snape gave a curt nod. “Your answer is only partially correct.” he went on. “Potions deals with the interaction of ingredients in a magical way based on their properties in nature. Chemistry deals with their interaction on an atomic level based on their chemical properties. Well?” he asked the class, “don’t you think you should write this down?”

Bryce raised his hand.

“What now, Mr. Lynch?” Snape asked.

“Sir,” Bryce said, “in my world, the known chemicals were listed in what we called the Periodic Table. Is there such a list of potions ingredients?”  
“Our worlds are somewhat similar, Mr. Lynch,” Snape told him. “We also have a periodic table. And no, there is no similar potions table because there are a great deal more potion ingredients and classes of ingredients than there are chemicals.”

Harry wasn’t so sure this was true, but wisely decided to keep his mouth shut.

“Now,” Snape continued, “open your books to page twenty-seven. We are going to look at the properties of certain ingredients and discuss what makes those ingredients useable in both potions and chemical mixtures...”


	5. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An unexpected event at the Museum during a field trip.

CHAPTER FIVE:

Korben Dallas counted heads as the group climbed onto the bus for their field trip to the Museum of Celestial Wonders.

“Everyone aboard?” he asked.

Grell double-checked the list of students she held, then nodded. 

“Then let’s get this show on the road,” Korben said as he floored the accelerator and began the drive to the museum.

A police car began to pursue them, but Korben only drove a little faster. “Hang on back there,” he called. “We’ll be at the museum in five minutes.”

Bryce had the impression they’d be getting a ride home with a different driver.

Korben rounded a corner, nearly tipping the bus at the speed he was driving and causing Grell to go from teacher mode to shinigami mode.

She drew her chainsaw from wherever she kept it when she wasn’t using it and held it aloft, maintaining her footing like a seasoned mariner in a heavy storm.

The students stared at her in near shock.

“Slow this bus down now!” she demanded, revving her scythe. “There are children on board and I will not have you risking their lives!”

“Oh, and a chainsaw whirring around on a recklessly driven bus is supposed to make us safe?” Ciel asked. “Really?”

“You know,” Grell asked. “I can’t help but wonder, how is you’re here and your delicious butler isn’t?”

“You know perfectly well Sebastian is working as a museum tour guide,” Ciel pointed out. “That is why you elected to lead this little field trip, isn’t it?”

The bus pulled up to the doors of the museum and offloaded the students.

The police car went on by without so much as a glance at them, causing Korben to raise and eyebrow.

Kenny gave Harry a glance and was not surprised when the wizard winked back at him and raised an eyebrow in a “Shh. It’s our secret” manner.

Korben didn’t know what it meant, but he felt it was a secret that was best kept between the two boys.

The group entered the museum and Grell immediately spotted the object of her affections.

“Bassy, darling!” she cooed. “It is such a sweet surprise to see you here!”

Sebastian gave her a disgusted look. “You have a group of children with you,” he reminded her.

“Oh, of course!” Grell said in a rush. ‘How rude of me. I haven’t properly introduced everyone.” she turned to the class. “Sebastian Michaelis, this is my class. Class, this is my fiance, Sebastian Michaelis.”

Sebastian’s eyes went pink with mortified anger. “Please do not refer to me as your fiance. I have not asked you to marry me, nor well I.”

“Are they always like this?” Jacob asked Ciel.

“Pretty much,” Ciel admitted. 

“Let’s get on with the tour,” Sebastian said, clearing his throat.

“Excuse me,” a tall man said as he arrived. “Might I join this tour?”

Sebastian glared at the man. He was handsome. Too handsome for Grell’s tastes. She had visions of him stealing Sebastian from her, sweeping the sexy butler off his feet and running away from him.

Sebastian noticed Grell glaring at the man and remarked. “I can assure you I do not flirt or enjoy being flirted with my customers.

The man noted the pink orbs of Sebastian’s eyes and raised an eyebrow.

Sebastian returned the look, noticing that the man’s left eye was golden brown while the right was blue.

Something about the man seemed different to Sebastian and after a moment he realized what it was.

The man was an angel. Not a twisted angel like Ash, but an angel nonetheless.

At first he was inclined to deny this angel a spot in his group. But he didn’t feel like a threat, and Sebastian was curious to know why he was there.

“Of course,” he said, cheerfully. And he began the tour.

“As most of you are unaware, today is the day of the Midyear Eclipse which happens once every three hundred years.” he told them.

Kenny shook his head. “Trouble coming,” he told the others. “My experience tells me that if something rotten is going to happen, it’s always preceded by some kind of eclipse.”

“There was no eclipse when Fenrir decided to visit New York,” Jacob told him.

“Or when my parents were killed,” Harry joined in.

“Pay attention,” Grell told them, angrily. “My Bassy should not be ignored.”

“Perhaps you would like me to report your unprofessional behavior to Mr. Spears?” Sebastian offered.

“Uh.. um… no no…” Grell said in a flustered voice. 

“As I was saying,” Sebastian continued. “The Museum’s Room of Stars is set up to let the light of the eclipse align with it’s most precious gem, the Pickerine Necklace. It is an event which will take place in five minutes. So if you’ll all follow me, we’ll go straight to the Room of Stars.”

Grell and her students as well as the unnamed angel followed Sebastian. As they walked, Sebastian spoke to the brown-haired angel.

“My lord and master has named me Sebastian Michaelis,” he told him. “What name did yours give to you?”

“You are a demon, then,” the angel said, glaring at Sebastian. “I have never before come across one as polite as you. Where I come from demons are coarse and ugly.”

“Angels where I come from are often twisted and corrupted,” Sebastian told him. “And I believe I asked your name. Or are angels also rude where you are from?”

“I am called Seiryuu no Goh,” the angel told him. “And I am here on an important mission. Do not interfere, demon.”

“Do not threaten my Bassy,” Grell growled in warning.

“Ugh,” Sebastian groaned. “I am not your Bassy.”

“Then I have lost you to him already?” Grell mock-swooned causing all the students to look at her with nervous expressions.

They arrived at the Room of Stars and went in.

The room was lit only by the overhead sun which shone upon the pinkish white gem in the center giving it a small sparkle which glistened as any gem might do so.

The gem was encased in an oval setting. Near the case, on a low pedestal, stood the holographic figure of what Jacob knew to be some kind of god.

Seiryuu approached it, hand outstretched as if to steal the necklace.

Seeing this, Sebastian acted automatically, knocking the angel aside as the eclipse began.

The moon overcame the sun and suddenly all that was left was a thin pinprick of brilliant sunlight. It hit the gem and reflected onto the hologram.

“No!” Seiryuu shouted as the hologram stepped from its pedestal and spread its arms out wide, bellowing at them in a language none of them could understand.

It made gestures, but no one knew if it was trying to explain something or attack.

Seeing that it had no means of harming these people, the hologram stepped forward until it was lined up perfectly with Bryce Lynch.

And Bryce’s eyes turned pure white.


	6. Chapter Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> short battle and escape from the museum.

CHAPTER SIX:

Without hesitating, Harry pulled his wand from his pocket and aimed it at Bryce, ready to cast petrificus charm.  
.  
Bryce, or whatever was possessing him, raised an arm and sent Harry flying back across the room.

“You cannot stop me,” it said in a voice that was and wasn’t Bryce’s. It seemed that possessing Bryce had caused it to become familiar with their language. He stepped forward and placed the Pickerine Necklace around Bryce’s neck. In that moment, Bryce’s appearance changed, becoming an amalgamation of his own and that of the deity that had taken him over. His hair, still the same reddish brown, was now longer and waved around his head as if static electricity were pouring through him. His eyes were white and glowing and seemed devoid of pupil or iris. There was a soft pink tinge to them and the others soon realized that Bryce’s eyes had turned the same color as the necklace.

“We have to get out of here,” one of the girls said as Seiryuu stepped between whatever had possessed Bryce and the others.

Bryce sent a barrage of energy at Seiryuu and threw him backwards into the wall.

Seiryuu remained upright for the whole of it and sent a barrage of energy back at Bryce.

“You’ll kill him!” Jacob protested. “You’ll kill Bryce!”

“That’s not Bryce,” Sebastian said, “Not anymore.” He rushed at Bryce only to be thrown aside like a soiled dishrag. He turned to Grell. “Get the others out of here!” he told her. “Find some way to stop this creature!”

“Bassy!” Grell whined. “I can’t leave you!”

“Do as I say!” Sebastian said.

“Who do you think you are bossing me around?” Grell demanded.

Sebastian knew he’d hate himself for saying this, but replied. “Your fiance.”

Grell was suddenly galvanized into action. “You heard the man,” she said, revving her chainsaw and rushing at the door which was soon reduced to splinters. “Let’s go!”

As she led them to the bus, Ciel muttered.

“Why didn’t you just open it?”

As the last student stepped onto the bus and took her seat, Grell turned to Korben.

“Get us the hell out of here!” she shouted.

“Aren’t we short one kid?” Korben asked.

“He’s in the museum,” Jacob explained. “Some kind of god possessed him. Like Fenrir did to this guy back where I came from.”

“Ah shit,” Korben swore as he floored it and sped away from the museum.


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER SEVEN:

Once they were back at the school, Grell rounded on Jacob.

“You work at the museum!” she shouted at him. “Is there any way of reversing what just happened?”

“I only work in the gift shop,” Jacob told her. “I… I don’t know how to get him back!”

“There must be some way,” Grell exclaimed. William was going to have her head on a plate when he found out she’d lost a student during a field trip.

“Maybe the school library has something about the gem we saw today,” Kenny suggested.

“We don’t even know what it was called,” Harry pointed out.

“No,” Jacob agreed. “But I bet that guy that tried to grab it does. He certainly seemed keen to get a hold of it.”

“Or maybe he was trying to stop whatever it was that happened?” Harry suggested.

“Maybe,” Jacob mused. “So where do we find him?”

“I don’t know,” Kenny admitted. “He might still be at the museum trying to track down the same clues we are.”

“Sebastian would probably be able to track it down,” Ciel said in a bored drawl.

“How well can we trust Sebastian?” asked a boy who until now had not spoken. He didn’t seem shy, just very observant, as if he didn’t fully trust the group he was now with.

“I can trust him with my life,” Ciel told him without a trace of irony.

William came storming down the hall.

“Can’t you do anything right, Sutcliffe?” he demanded, glaring at Grell. “I let you take my students on a simple field trip to a museum and you come back one short! What are his parents going to say? Well?”

“Relax,” Grell said in a sultry and soothing tone. “He was one of the travelers. His parents are in some other world, just like our friends and colleagues. Nobody here is going to even notice he is gone.”

“Be that as it may, I suggest you find a way to bring him back.”

“If only we had access to the library. The bookmark…”

“... is not here,” William finished. “So you will have to use what you’ve got.”

“Pity our computer genius is the one who got possessed by whatever that deity was.”

“I can help with that,” the boy told them.

“Who are you?” William asked.

“Rick Myers,” the teenager told them “I’m one of the… I mean I was one of the scientists working on the Omega Project. We had a problem with some of the test subjects and, dare I say it, a rather nasty demon.”

“I can assure you it wasn’t one of Sebastian’s lot,” Ciel said in defense of his butler.

“You’re saying this Sebastian fellow is a demon?” Rick asked. When Ciel didn’t answer he turned away to think.

“Okay,” he finally said. “You say he’s harmless. That’s fine. I don’t trust him, but I do trust you. I don’t know why, but I do. Now the first thing we need to know is how do we fight this thing? Is there some way to combat it?”

“You say you fought demons once,” Kenny said. “What did you use then?”

“Puppets,” Rick told them, causing Jacob to eye him warily. 

“How do you fight a demon with puppets?” Jacob asked.

“The demon wasn’t very big,” Rick admitted.

“Neither are mosquitoes,” Korben pointed out. “But they’re still very nasty bastards when it comes to causing problems.”

Edison walked in, Sebastian, Snape joining him.

“Where’s Bryce?” Edison asked.

“Possessed,” Sebastian told him. “By what or whom I don’t know. If we could learn more about that gem, we might be able to learn a way to get him back.”

“Then I suggest we pay a visit to the museum curator,” Edison told him. “He’s the one who’s most likely to have that information.”

“That’s a possibility,” Ciel said. “Sebastian check the libraries. See if they have any information.”

“It is not wise to check a library if one does not know what subject they are looking for,” Sebastian reminded him.

Ciel made a dismissive gesture with his hand. “Just do what you can.” he said in a bored tone.

Sebastian bowed. 

“Yes, my Lord.”


	8. CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER EIGHT:

The deity which had possessed Bryce Lynch was amazed at the mind he had entered. At first, when he’d seen the boy, he’d been convinced this would be a fool and a peasant. He had planned to manipulate the boy into working for him.

‘Get out of my mind!’ Bryce screamed in his own head. He couldn’t escape the prison of his mind until this being was gone. But that didn’t mean he had to be a silent prisoner. ‘This is my mind. It is not yours. Leave me alone!’

‘Do not think for one second that you are my equal, little mortal,’ the being in his mind told Bryce. ‘I am Mefeti. And I am all-powerful.’

‘And yet you need to control my little mortal body to get anything done.’ Bryce thought pointedly. 

Mefeti reached out with Bryce’s arm and brought it down against the case which held the Pickerine necklace. Nothing happened, except a bruise forming on Bryce’s arm.

‘Why don’t you try lifting it, moron?’ Bryce thought. He wanted to mentally smack himself for offering such a helpful situation. But he figured it was better to help then end up with two maimed arms, which was what would probably happen if this mind-rider, deity, whatever it was, decided to keep trying to smash the casing.

Mefeti used Bryce to lift the case, instantly setting off alarms throughout the museum.

‘Oops,’ Bryce said with an inward smirk. ‘Forgot to tell you about those alarms. You see, we mortals are more protective and covetous of our precious gems than you deities can ever hope to be. And once I’m locked away for attempted theft, you’ll be out of luck, too.’

Mefeti grabbed the necklace and placed it around Bryce’s neck.

All at once, Bryce felt a surge of power. However weak being imprisoned in the body of a mortal teenager had made Mefeti, the necklace had made him strong again. Bryce could feel the power coursing through his entire being. He could almost imagine losing himself in it. But no, he would not allow that. He would use the training he had received at ACS to keep his mind as long as he could. The dark power that was using him might win in the end, but not without Bryce putting up one hell of a good fight.

Mefeti leapt into the air, in full control of Bryce’s body. Bryce waited for the impact of landing, but it did not come. At least not then. What did come was the brief impact of his body shattering the glass above where the Pickerine Necklace had been. He could feel no pain, no indication that the glass had cut him, and for a moment was pleased at the power he had gained. Invincibility! Flight! But no… whatever else he might feel, this was wrong. This was not natural. Some people from worlds that were mere dreams to him might be able to use magic. And perhaps that was natural for them. But this was not his own ability. Another being had taken him over. Was holding him hostage in his own mind. And he was not going to let himself be wholly immersed in it like some kind of rollercoaster at an amusement park.

This was nothing like one of those exciting rides. Instead it was like those scenes in the old gangster movies they sometimes showed on the Nostalgia Channel where the prisoner was stuffed in the trunk of the car, the trip almost always ending badly for them.

Mefeti flew high above the city, far above the clouds, until he began to tire. Then, he landed near a field.

‘I thought you were all-powerful,’ Bryce thought sarcastically.

‘I am,’ Mefeti reminded him. ‘But it seems your mortal body has its limits. I shall have to find the necklace’s sister gems if I am to attain full power. Of course, there’s always the chance that your body will burn away in the process…’

‘Edison,’ Bryce thought desperately, ‘where are you?’


	9. CHAPTER 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A plan is begun on how to rescue Bryce

CHAPTER NINE:

Edison Carter was in the teachers’ lounge at Lost Kristobel High along with Korben Dallas, Severus Snape, and Grell Sutcliffe.

“Whatever it was that took over Bryce, it wasn’t human,” Grell told them. “His eyes. They were white. All white.”

“It would seem the boy has been taken over as you say, Professor Sutcliffe, by a powerful magical being of some kind,” Snape said thoughtfully. “If so, there may be some kind of magical solution to the problem.”

“I somehow don’t think you can just wave some wand and make it all better,” Edison said. “That might work in your world, but I have the feeling this world plays by different rules.”

“Meaning?” Grell asked.

“He means he thinks that my magic comes from an outside source in my world. That I might not be able to use it in this one.”

Edison nodded.

“I think you’re wrong,” Snape said. “You may not have noticed it, but our teenage friend Kenny has been using Druid magic which is directly connected to nature, in spite of being away from his own world. It would seem that would contradict your hypothesis.”

“Not at all,” William said from the doorway. He crossed the room and took a seat. “Magic that is connected to nature derives its power from all elemental items, whether the item itself is magical or not.”

“The point is,” Edison said, “that Bryce has been taken over by some unknown entity and we have to save him somehow.”

“I can try my magic,” Snape offered. “It’s worth a shot.”

“And it could hurt Bryce,” Edison pointed out.

“It could. But there are healing spells,” Snape explained. 

Outside the lounge, Harry Potter listened along with Jacob Frannag and Rick Myers with the help of one of the Weasley Twins extendable ears that he kept in one of his robe pockets at all times.

Withdrawing the ear, Harry looked up at the other two boys. “I hope Snape can save him.”

“Hmm…” Rick mused, motioning for the others to huddle around him.

“What?” Jacob said.

“Maybe we’re going about this the wrong way,” Rick said. “Maybe what we need is a virus. You said the deity was a hologram before he became real and possessed Bryce right. Maybe if we can affect the hologram it’ll weaken the deity.”

“I think the hologram was merely a bridge,” Jacob pointed out. “We could destroy it, but it wouldn’t matter because it’s already been crossed.”

“So we try something else,” Harry said. “But I think the hologram still needs to be destroyed so it can’t be used as a bridge again.”

“Are you planning to do this by yourselves, or would you prefer to join us in making a sensible plan?” asked Snape who was standing there holding the ear in one hand. He looked at it. “A useful item. I assume it’s a Weasley product?”

Harry nodded.

“I think I’ll borrow it for a bit,” Snape said, pocketing the extendible ear and ushering the teens into the lounge. 

Edison looked up along with Korben and Grell.

“It appears we have a group of eavesdroppers,” Snape said.

“You heard, then,” Edison said.

“It’s rather rude to eavesdrop,” Grell pointed out, huffily.

“Never mind that now,” Edison said. “I don’t suppose you have any ideas of your own.” 

Edison had learned from working with Bryce that teenagers often had a handle on solving problems that adults often missed.

“We thought about eliminating the hologram to start with so it can’t be used as a bridge again,” Rick told them.

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t the hologram fuse with the being that took over Bryce’s body?”

“It did,” Rick agreed. “But it might separate from it in an attempt to keep a bridge to our world for future attempts when we pull it out of Bryce.”

“I can take care of that,” Korben told them.

“How?” Edison asked.

Pulling a gun from his pocket he remarked. “The same way I negotiate.”


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seiryuu confronts Mefeti but has no luck so he goes to the museum to learn more about him.

CHAPTER TEN:

Seiryuu followed the apparent teenager who did not so much as fly as drift through the air. The boy was upright, moving forward as though he were a skater on some invisible rink.

“Release the child,” Seiryuu demanded as he shot up into the air before the boy and his possessor. “You have no quarrel with him so let him go.”

“And deprive myself of the most brilliant mind I’ve ever known of this pathetic species?” Mefeti laughed. “I think not.”

“Take me instead,” Seiryuu offered, stretching his arms out and downward to show he was unarmed..

“No, I don’t think so, angel,” Mefeti scoffed, “I can sense that your angelic form would reject such a possession. You are merely attempting to lure me out, to save this simple child.”

‘I am not a child!’ Bryce’s mind raged at Mefeti.

‘Shut up, little one, and let the grownups talk,’ Mefeti thought back.

Seiryuu realized that the silence and the introverted look on the teenaged face could mean that the boy who truly owned this body was still at least partially alert, that he was able to communicate with his possessor.

Was it possible that he could also reach the kid?

He closed his eyes, reaching into the boy’s captive mind.

‘What is your name?’ he thought

‘Bryce Lynch,” the boy thought back. 

But it was almost drowned out by the voice of the other replying

“I am Mefeti the Mighty. I am Mefeti of the Darkness. Mefeti of the Golden Cobra. Mefeti who walks the Path of the Stars.”

And before Seiryuu could issue a response, Mefeti sent a bolt of energy at him which knocked him out of the sky.

Seiryuu stood up and looked to where he had been. Mefeti had sped off to God-knew-where and it looked like he was going to need a lot more help. Remembering where the whole thing had begun, he headed back to the museum to see if he could learn more about Mefeti.

As he raced to the museum, it occurred to him that he would most likely need to deal with the demon Sebastian. This did not please him. Angels and demons had always been enemies and he didn’t see how Sebastian, who had prevented him from stopping the emergence of this current nuisance, could be anything but.

Reaching the front door, he walked in and looked around for Sebastian. Failing to spot him, he turned and saw a sign which gave the times for the museum tours. Noticing that the next one was a half hour away, he decided to stop by at the gift shop.

“I’m surprised to see you working here after what happened the other night,” he said as he spotted the teenager behind the desk.

“You were at the tour when Bryce was taken,” Jacob said, recognizing Seiryuu. “Do you have any idea what possessed him?”

“None,” Seiryuu admitted. “I was hoping to learn more about the necklace that activated the summoning. Whoever is in that boy stole it, so it must contain some hidden power.”

“Mr. Michaelis will be back in twenty minutes,” Jacob offered. “In the meantime…”

Then he struck his forehead with the palm of his hand. “I don’t believe I didn’t think of it!”

“What?” Seiryuu asked, hopefully.

“We have a book…” he left the register and went through the books on the shelf… “Here it is   
‘The Five Gems of Light and Shadow’.” he opened the book and the both peered into it. “There’s a chapter here which talks about the Pickerine Necklace. I wonder if that’s the necklace the creature that’s possessing Bryce is wearing?”

“It’s possible,” Seiryuu said, looking down at the book with Jacob.

“See anything that’s fucking useful?” asked Fanducci as he joined them. He’d been investigating the case ever since he’d learned of it. This was hardly his first supernatural event, as Jacob knew full well since they’d worked the Fenrir case together.

Jacob looked at Fanducci. “Just the usual,” he replied. “Someone gets possessed. Someone who looks a hell of a lot like me, by the way. You’re on the case. Oh yeah. And some fancy rock is probably the cause of it all. Is it just me or are you getting a case deja vu?”

“I think there’s a lot more to it than that this fucking time,” Fanducci pointed out, pulling a pack of PEZ from his pocket and taking out one of the candies. He offered the pack around, but no one seemed interested. He shrugged and stuck it back in his pocket.  
Then, he picked up the book and looked around at the cover before turning to Jacob and asking 

“So, how much for this fucking book?”


	11. The Four Gems

The Pickerine Necklace, currently worn by Bryce Lynch under possession by Mefeti

is the strongest of the four Gems of Light and Darkness. It governed by the

Sun and Moon and receives an energy boost when struck by the light of

a solar eclipse.

 

\

The Salmonite Gem, which summons the deity Cubici, is governed by the light of the planet Mars.

 

The Bowfinel Ring, governed by Saturn, summons the deity Samaji.

 

And last but not least, the Trouline Bracelet is governed by the planet Venus

and summons the deity Yontuc.

 


	12. Chapter Eleven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fanducci learns about one of the jewels.

CHAPTER ELEVEN:

 

Fanducci sat in the office he kept in this world, his copy of The Four Gems of Light and Shadow sitting on the desk in front of him. Here, in this book, might be the answer to saving the life of Bryce Lynch.

Fanducci thought about Bryce. He thought about how smart the kid seemed to be. Of how closely he resembled the boy Jacob from his own world. But perhaps Jacob had been stronger. Perhaps that was why he wasn’t chosen. But then what of the others? All of them had some strength or weakness. What was it, he wondered that made Bryce such an attractive target?

He opened the book and read the first paragraph:

In the days of darkness, before the Awakening of Man, three deities created gems of light. Yontuc the wise created the Trouline gem, which he placed within a silver bracelet, under the light of Venus which he captured within the gem. The bracelet is said to have once been used by Yontuc to warn boats away from a rocky coast when the lighthouse lamp had failed… 

Fanducci didn’t need to know that. He skimmed the paragraphs, largely ignoring the passage about Yontuc’s wife and the betrayal that led to their son’s fall to humanity. Even the gods, it seemed, were not above gossip.

Finally he found what he was looking for. He read on:

Being fond of knowledge, Yontuc founded the Soulsinger Library which has existed in several different incarnations until this day. The Trouline Bracelet is believed to be somewhere either in or on the grounds of this library.

“So all we have to do is find the oldest fucking library in this world,” Fanducci muttered. “I just hope it’s not on the other side of the planet.”

He picked up the book and headed to the school to speak with the teachers and students who had been at the museum.

 

“Can anyone,” Grell asked her students, “tell me what Morton’s Principle of Mortality says about Death?”

A student raised her hand and was about to answer when there was a knock on the door.

Grell went to the door and opened it.

“Will,” she said. “I really can’t right now. I have classes.”

A few students tittered.

“Sutcliffe!” Will exclaimed. More calmly he added. “You have a visitor who has important information about the incident at the museum.”

“Excuse me,” Grell said to the students.

Stepping into the hallway, Grell spotted Fanducci.

“Yes?” she asked.

Fanducci held up the book. 

“You might want to take a look at this.” he told her.


End file.
